Time study board



May 26, 1942. H. P. WELCH TIME STUDY BOARD Filed Sept. 13, 1941 Patented May 26, 1942 TIME STUDY BOARD Herman P. Welch, Union City, Ind., assignor to Rockwell-Barnes Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 13, 1941, Serial No. 410,789

2 Claims.

My present invention is concerned with a board in the nature of a portable desk whereon papers may be detachably affixed and conveniently supported in one hand for receiving markings from a writing instrument which is manipulated by the other hand. Such a board is extremely useful in recording data from observations made in the open, as in a railroad yard, a stock room, etc., where a clerk is called upon to make frequent notations, as he moves about from place to place.

The present board embodies certain improvements which make for greater convenience and dependability in its use. It is so formed as to be rested conveniently at one end against the body and to be grasped at an opposite corner by one hand, all with a minimum of effort and maximum of stability. The board also incorporates in its structure a clip which is so placed as to releasably support paper sheets at a point which is clear of a handle which the supporting hand may grasp at an outer corner of the board, the handle itself affording a base whereon may be mounted a bracket for a time instrument which remains exposed to the view between the fingers of the supporting hand, so as to be easily read at all times While notations are being made. These various objects and advantages may be realized from my present invention of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective illustrating the board as it appears when in operative position ready for the application of markings upon the supported sheets; and

Fig. 2 is a View in plan of the board per se.

For a material which is suitable for the present board I prefer to use a hard, pressed composition which may be substantially rigid and light, and susceptible of being smoothed on opposite faces and rounded along its peripheral edges. Such a board, B, as herein shown, comprises a longitudinal left edge 5 opposite a right edge 6 which may be slightly longer whereby the lower or bottom edge 1 is required to slant upwardly a trifle toward the shorter left edge 5. The upper or top edge 8 which extends transversely is interrupted by a wide recess 9 tapering inwardly and located toward the right side of the board to thereby provide at the upper proximate corner a threesided projection III which constitutes a handle. The contour of the recess is such as to provide easy curves with an intervening space of a size and shape to conform generally to the thumb base portion of the users hand when his fingers grasp the handle from opposite sides to hold and stabilize the board.

Upon the board upper end, to the left of the thumb recess may be mounted a conventional clip device here shown as having a wire base [5 secured in place at opposite ends by studs or screws IS, the wire being bent through coaxial convolutions around a pin I1 and then away therefrom to provide a pair of spring fingers (not shown) adapted to bear against the under side of a plate Hi from which are laterally extended ears l9 that are pivotally supported upon the pin. At its forward end the plate is downwardly curved to provide a clip edge 20 extended laterally toward the left edge 5 of the board and adapted, when raised, to receive thereunder a quantity of paper leaves 21 which are frictionally held upon the board when the clip advances thereagainst in response to pressure, exerted by the spring.

Upon the handle I find it convenient to mount a bracket plate 25 having upstanding peripheral spring arms 26 between which may be releasably received a watch 21 whose face remains always exposed to view during use of the board. This plate may be fastened to the board in any convenient way as by studs, rivets or screws, and to further enhance its connection therewith I extend from the plate periphery a tongue 28 which overlies the top edge of the handle so as to firmly engage therewith.

With one or more paper leaves held near their upper ends by the spring clip upon the board, a clerk is well equipped to make notations, while on his feet, respecting data, and time of observation, at any point where his work may take him. In doing this the lower end of the board is rested against the body at a convenient elevation, and the left arm which underlies the board permits the hand to reach the handle and engage therewith from opposite sides with the thumb base received within the recess so as to minimize the effort attendant upon a firm grasp which may be required when writing is to be done. The handle width is such as to furnish a base of sufficient size for the mounting of an ordinary pocket watch and to prevent lapping of the fingers thereover to an extent which will obscure with reading of the watch. The thumb base emerges through the recess at a point slightly above the upper end of the paper leaves which are clipped in place, and accordingly does not interfere therewith. At the same time the thumb is enabled to extend around the upper contour of the handle so as to overlie, if desired, the upper end of the board, but without obscuring the face of the watch which remains conveniently exposed for observation. Not only is the board supported at its lower end by its engagement with the body, desirably above the hip, but it is afforded an extended support from the forearm which underlies the board when the hand is in grasping position relative to the handle. There is accordingly an oblique support underlying the board, furnished by the forearm, extending from a point near the lower end of the left side to the upper right corner of the board Where the handle is formed, and this is supplemented by the additional support extending along the lower edge of the board as a result of its engagement with the body of the user.

The so-called time study board of my invention is, in effect, a portable desk in that it is light,

compact, retentive of papers to receive written notations by a standing person, and, above all, so constructed as to facilitate its stable and convenient support by a clerk under Varying, and generally unfavorable, conditions of use.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, including a board of substantially oblong form having a lower end edge shaped to fit against the body of a person, said board being provided at its upper end with a recess and having at the upper right hand corner at the outer side of the recess a projecting handle of the size to be grasped with the left hand between the thumb and fingers with a portion of the hand located in the said recess whereb the board may be held firmly against the body by said hand and be supported by the forearm in convenient position for Writing, and a paper holding clip carried by the upper portion of the board and spaced from the said handle and arranged to hold a plurality of leaves or sheets of paper upon the board.

2. A device of the class described, including a board of substantially oblong form having a slightly rounded lower oblique end edge adapted to fit against the body of a person, said board being provided at its upper end adjacent the right hand side thereof with an inwardly tapered recess forming, at the upper right hand corner of the board, a projecting handle having a straight outer edge and provided with an inner edge conforming substantially to the configuration of the thumb when the handle is grasped with the left hand, whereby the board may be held firmly against the body b said hand with the thumb and fingers at the opposite edges of the handle and the board supported by the forearm in convenient writing position, and a paper holding clip carried by the upper portion of the board at the left-hand side thereof and arranged to hold a plurality of leaves upon the board.

HERMAN P. WELCI-I. 

